In a world of big data and real-time processing, the demands that data warehouses must meet are increasing. The general trend is toward use of appliances – i.e., integrated hardware and software packages optimized for high-performance analytical query workloads. This report focuses on the principal competitors in the midrange to high-end appliance bracket, the IBM PureData System for Analytics N200X, powered by Netezza technology, and Teradata Data Warehouse Appliance 2750. Register Now

At the most basic level, platform costs may be compared in terms of dollars per terabyte ($/TB) of user data. This metric, however, deals only with acquisition prices. There are typically significant differences in data structures, compression levels and performance between platforms that affect its validity. A more realistic measurement is offered by cost of ownership. Calculations should allow for acquisition costs as well as maintenance and support, personnel costs for database and system administration, deployment costs – it may take weeks to months of work to bring systems into production – and facilities costs over multi-year periods.